In SSBB, he was an Ice Climbers player, and was considered to be one of Japan's two best players along with Etsuji during the tail-end of the game's lifespan, as well as the best Ice Climbers player in the world. 9B was formerly ranked 1st on the 2014 SSBB Player Rankings, tied with Nairo.

9B is said to have created the faster, yet more difficult chaingrab for the Ice Climbers in Brawl. This involves using Popo's down throw to start the chain, having Nana re-grab, then executing a back throw so Popo can regrab. [1] The following description is from the Youtube video showcasing this technique, which can be found at the bottom of this page or by clicking the reference tag before this sentence. It explains how the technique works and why it is a faster chaingrab.

When you grab with Popo, naturally, Nana will grab as well. Since Popo normally grabs the opponent, Nana will be left with a dead grab animation. An experienced player in the Ice Climbers match-up knows this is the PERFECT time to MASH THE HELL OUT OF THAT CONTROLLER, as the Nana cannot re-grab just yet. Since Popo's B-Throw executes in so few frames, Nana will have to wait to finish said animation. HOWEVER, D-Throw's animation lasts significantly longer, giving Nana time to finish her grab animation DURING the throw, meaning the opponent can't mash out. After D-Throwing with Popo, Nana doesn't have a grab animation, so you can instantly throw again; buffered B-Throw being your fastest option. That's how this chain came to be.

The main mechanics of achieving this string includes buffering a walk in the opposite direction after re-grabbing with Nana. The back throw will then come out accompanied by a turnaround by Popo, not a walk. This allows Popo to re-grab the opponent and thus continue the chaingrab.

9B is known for frequently self-destructing with Bayonetta in Smash 4, mostly doing so after having taken a stock from an opponent after a combo involving her special moveset. This is sometimes referred to as the "9B dive".